THE DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS OF MALE SUBORDINATES TOWARDS THEIR FEMALE PASTORS IS A CHALLENGE TO PASTORAL CARE GOPOLANG HARRY SEKANO

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1 THE DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS OF MALE SUBORDINATES TOWARDS THEIR FEMALE PASTORS IS A CHALLENGE TO PASTORAL CARE BY GOPOLANG HARRY SEKANO Dissertation Submitted in fulfilment for Doctoral Degree PhD (Theology) Practical Theology STUDENT NUMBER: UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA 2011 SUPERVISOR PROF M.J.S MASANGO University of Pretoria

2 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation that I submit to the University of Pretoria for Doctoral Degree (PhD) in Practical Theology (Pastoral Care) is my sole work, and the first submission of its kind according to my knowledge. All material contained in this dissertation is duly acknowledged. Signed by Student: Signed by Supervisor: Date: ii

3 DEDICATION This PhD dissertation is dedicated to my mother, Rev. Sekano E.M, my sister, Rev. Mfalapitsa T.D, all female leaders who experienced the wrath of males who are anti female leadership and My lovely wife and co-worker in God s vine yard, Sekano M.M. and The Pentecostal Holiness Church (SWC) in the North West Province and The participants from different denominations in Gauteng, Free State, Limpopo and North West Provinces and Bethel Gospel Assembly and Rabokal (PHC) for praying for me and granting me the study leave during the research of this dissertation iii

4 and My mentor and supervisor, Prof. Maake Masango. May the good LORD Bless them all iv

5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I give thanks and praise to the Almighty God who made it possible for me to complete this research and for giving me relevant people to help me in making this dissertation a reality. I thank all the co-researchers (participants) of different denominations in Gauteng, Free State and Limpopo Province. I know it was not easy for them to complete the questionnaire and share their experiences. I also want to give my thanks to my children, Ofentse and his wife Semakeleng, Kelebogile and her husband Morai and my grandchildren (Reo, Rea and Ona) for being there for me and understanding why I couldn t spend most of the time with them. I give my sincere gratitude to my wife for the assistance she gave me during my study. I salute my younger sister, Rev Boya CK and my colleagues; Rev Naledi L and Mokgothadi C, who made it possible for me to meet with the participants in their Provinces. May the good Lord richly bless them. Very big thanks to the faculty of the University of Pretoria for having given me another opportunity to study in their institution and for continuing to impart knowledge and wisdom to me and granting me the bursary. Not forgetting the faculty of the South African School of Theology in Association with Global University for giving me the basic education in v

6 Theology and all educators who imparted their knowledge since my primary education. May the good Lord bless all those who assisted me in various ways during the difficult time of the research, not forgetting my contact class mates; especially Rev W Rakuba and Rev J Kubeka. Last but not least, I give my appreciation to Prof Maake Masango, a very wonderful man, an understanding father, a friend, a mentor, and a real pastoral caregiver. If it wasn t for him, maybe I wouldn t have made it. He really encouraged me not to give up. May the Almighty God continuously bless him and his family. vi

7 KEY TERMS 1. There is general phenomenon of subjugation of female leaders by their male subordinates. 2. There is an experience of enormous injustice in the house of justice (church) 3. Biblical interpretation should be liberating rather than oppressive. 4. Negative Setswana idioms and proverbs should be shelved in order for the positive ones to be used. 5. There should be a line between the word of God and that of men. 6. Females should first be seen as human beings before they are seen as females. 7. Restoration of the image of God in female folks. 8. Men and women are endowed with equal power to rule. 9. There should be compulsory education for Pastors (Ministers) 10. Male Pastors (Ministers) should be at the fore front of shouting, female liberation now. 11. Justice delayed is justice denied 12. Tsa etelelwa pele ke namagadi di wela ka lengope (Led by a female they fall into dongas) vii

8 13. Mosadi o tshwara thipa ka fa bogaleng (A woman hold the knife at its sharp edge) viii

9 ABSTRACT This dissertation came as a response of the outcome of the author s Master s thesis in which female Pastors in the North West Province, in the Republic of South Africa lamented that their male subordinates destruct them from doing their ministerial work properly. The relevant methodology to address this problem was found to be; fusion of Feminist Liberation Theology, Shepherding and Quantitative methods in the light of Practical Theology. The research has been conducted in the three Provinces of the Republic of South Africa, namely; Gauteng, Free State and Limpopo, with four female Pastors from each Province. These interviewees from twelve different denominations answered a questionnaire marked appendix A, which comprises of biblical and general questions. The outcome of these three Provinces was that generally female leaders are dehumanised by being marginalised, undermined, silenced and crushed by their male subordinates and counterparts, to a point that these female leaders use respect as a bait to harmonise the situation. The outcome of the North West Province which necessitated this research was then confirmed that female Pastors are generally denigrated by their male subordinates and as result they become destructed from doing their duties well. And because of that they are labelled incompetent. ix

10 Regardless the negation of female leadership as based on the above indicated factors, the research has managed to prove that females had been part of leadership from time immemorial to date. Liberation Now, as Russell has mentioned, is the heartbeat of this study, therefore recommendations are that the biblical interpretation, masculine language (gender sensitive) and the negative Setswana idioms and proverbs that are oppressive to females especially those in leadership be replaced by the positive or constructive ones. Interpretation should be rapidly emancipative, just like Jesus did by overriding the Law of Purity, Defilement and Sabbath by that of Liberation and Justice. As God he understood that justice delayed is justice denied, see Mark 5: and Luke 13: Scripture must be allowed to interpret itself, especially on issues of serious controversy such as the topic in question. A line should also be drawn between the Word of God and the words of people that are found in the Bible, e.g. thus says the LORD and I, Paul, say. This does not discredit God s inspiration upon His Word, but acknowledges the honesty in recording people s thoughts that are both good and evil. Egalitarian male senior Pastors (Bishops) with their authority of ordaining Pastors should spearhead the liberation and affirmation of female leadership, through counselling and intense teaching to all stake holders, as to avert this warp concept of denigrating females in the name of God. The reason for recommending them is because females could not counsel themselves, nor by their subjugators, however egalitarian male senior Pastors would have to create a rapport that is deemed as a key to x

11 this endeavour, since females may perceive them as subjugators and male subordinates as sell-outs. Concomitantly theological training should be a prerequisite to church ministry. The monitoring tool had been developed in accordance with concerns and recommendations of the outcome of the research, in order for the church top leadership to track the situation at local churches, and respond timeously to the matters that may affect the church negatively. xi

12 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration...ii Dedication...iii-iv Acknowledgement...v-vi Key Terms.vii-viii Abstract.ix-xi CHAPTER ONE 1.1 About the research Background Introduction Value of the study Problem Statement The Aim, Objective and Relevance of the study Research Gap Preliminary Conclusion..21 CHAPTER TWO 2.1 Research Methodology and Methods Introduction Brief historical background of Feminist Liberation Theology The concept of Feminist Theology Main focus and aim Important themes of feminist theology xii

13 2.1.6 Search for usable past and usable future Brief historical background of shepherding The emergence of Shepherding Motif Concept of shepherding Main focus and aim Brief Historical Background of Qualitative Method Concept of Qualitative Research Aim and focus Preliminary conclusion CHAPTER THREE 3.1 True Stories Introduction Trepidation of an elderly clergy man Menstruating females barred from Water Baptism and attending Church Traditionalism: A stumbling block to progress Preliminary conclusion...76 CHAPTER FOUR 4.1 The divinity of the Holy Spirit, His power, authority and function in the lives of female leaders and a comparison of three different views: Biblical, Cultural and Political leadership of males and females Introduction The divinity of the Holy Spirit The power of God the Holy Spirit xiii

14 4.1.4 The authority of the Holy Spirit The function of the Holy spirit on the lives of female leaders Comparison of three different views: Biblical, Cultural and Political Leadership of males and females God in support of egalitarian style of leadership Preliminary conclusion CHAPTER FIVE 5.1 Data presentation on the experience and feeling of female Pastors Review of the outcome of the author s MA Thesis The experience of men under the leadership of women Introduction The review of the author s MA Thesis outcome Connection of the two studies in MA and PhD The author s reflection on the responses of the female Pastors Introduction The author s reflection on the responses of the Gauteng Province female pastors The author s reflection on the responses of the Free State Province female pastors The author s reflection on the responses of the Limpopo Province female pastors The provincial outcomes, comparison of the outcomes, consolidation of outcomes and the general outcomes..157 xiv

15 5.3.1 Introduction The outcome of Gauteng Province The outcome of the Free State Province The outcome of the Limpopo Province Comparison of the outcome of the three provinces Comparison of the outcome of the three consolidated Provinces and that of the North West Province Preliminary Conclusion CHAPTER SIX 6.1Pastoral counselling and counselling tools for female Pastors, male subordinates and congregants Introduction Pastoral counselling for dehumanised female pastors Counselling Tools and Strategies for female pastors Counselling tools for male subordinates Counselling Tools for the local church Preliminary Conclusion CHAPTER SEVEN 7.1 Conclusion and Recommendation Conclusion Recommendation Local church monitoring tool Concluding Summary Annexure A xv

16 7.4.1 Questionnaire Annexure B Answers of twelve participants from three Provinces: Gauteng, Free State and Limpopo Answers from Gauteng Province participants Answers from Free State Province Answers from Limpopo Province Bibliography xvi